Open floor grating



y 21, 1953 a, "r. BEEBE ET AL 2,645,985

' OPEN FLOOR GRATING Filed April 26. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 192002215013; 65/9410 [55:55 and y 21, 1953 e. T. BEEBE ETAL EN FLOOR GRATING Filed April 26, 1950 s m 5H mp I W mm a Patented July 21, 1953 M. Priest, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application April 26, 1950, Serial No. 158,224

v I 7 Claims.

This invention relates to an open fioor grating and is particularly adapted for use in bridges,

locked together mechanically while others are locked together by welding. The welded gratings in common use are generally joined by hand Welds at all intersections. This operation is rather expensive.

It is an object of our invention, to provide a grating which utilizes both welding and mechanical interlocking for fastening the parts thereof together. I

Another object is to provide a grating which lends itself to machine welding by the submerged arc process. I

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the parts of the grating in unassembled relationship;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view;

Figure 3 is an end view of Figure 2;.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of thecompleted rating;

Figure 5 is a view of a detail; and

Figure 6 is a view showing a modification of a detail of our invention.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1. to 5 of the drawings it is seen that the open floor grating structure consists ofa plurality of longitudinal primary members 2, a plurality of transverse secondary members 4 welded to and extending between the primary members, and a plurality of longitudinally extending tertiary members 6 which are welded tothe secondary members t one between each pair of primary members 2. Each of the primary members 2 has a lower flange 8, a web portion l0 and a bulbous portion i2. Extending upwardly from the bulbous portion i2 is a rectangular rib l4. Each rib I4 has a plurality of spaced apart slots [6 therein, which slots extend downwardly substantially to the bulbous portion l2. The top of each side of each slot is beveled at l8. The slots [6 in each of the primary members are aligned with the Slots in the'primary members adjacent thereto.

2 The secondary members 4 have a rectangular shape and are received in the aligned slots 16. Each oi the secondary members 4 has a plurality of arcuate slots 29 at the bottom thereof one at each of the points of intersection with the primary members 2. The lower end of the slots fits snugly .over the. bulbous portion E2. The sides of the slots 29 in contact with the bulbous portion 62 are preferably straight so as to provide a bearing surface. A beveled cut out portion 22' is provided in the top of secondary members 6 above each of the arcuate slots 20. A weld it is provided at each of the intersections of the primary and secondary members and substantia-lly fills the cup-like depression formed by the thereof at each of the points of intersection with the secondary members. A weld 32 is provided at each of these intersections and substantially fills the cup-like depressionbounded by the beveled portions, of the slots and cut out portions. Aligned holes 3 3 are provided in the web portions ID for receiving a bar 36 which is welded thereto by means of weld 34 The grating is assembled as follows:

The primary members 2 are spaced apart the desired distance. The rod 36 is pushed through the round holes 34 and welded to the web portion it of each primary member 2. The secondary members 4 are drOl ped into the slots l6 with the lower end of the arcuate slots 20. fitting snuglyover the bulbous portion I! as best shown in Figure 3. The tertiary members 6 are dropped into the slots 26 and the welds 24 and 32 are made, preferably by machine welding using the, submerged arc process. Sufiicient clearance isprovided between the secondary members i and the slots [6 and also between the tertiary members 6 and the slots 26 .to perm-it the secondary and tertiary members to be bottomed in the respective slots. The secondary members 4 and tertiary members 6 are preferably of the same thickness as rib l4. Since the sides of the slot 28] bear on the sides of the bulbous portion i2, endwise movement of the secondary member 4 is prevented, thus relieving stress on the welds 24.

Each of the tertiary members 6 has a beveled cut out portion 30 in the top portion In place of the arcuate slots the transverse secondary members 4 may be provided with a cut out portion 38 shaped to fit the bottom of the rib Hi and the top of the bulbous portion 12. However, it is preferred to use the arcuate slots 29 since they facilitate assembling and also minimize stress concentration in the upper transverse bars 4 by eliminating abrupt changes in cross section at the slots. The beveled portions l8 and 28 and the beveled notches 22 and 38 may be omitted, if desired. The purpose of these notches is to permit deeper penetration of the weld. In any instance it will be noted that the welds 24 and 32 completely cover all four corners of the intersections.

While several embodiments of our invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. An open floor grating comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending primary members, each of said primary members having a bulbous portion intermediate its height and a rectangular rib portion extending vertically upward from said bulbous portion, the rib portion in each primary member having a plurality of spaced apart slots therein extending downwardly substantially to said bulbous portion, the top of each side of each slot being beveled, the slots in each of said primary members being aligned with the slots in the primary members adjacent thereto, a plurality of substantially rectangular transverse secondary members in the aligned slots in the primary members, each of said secondary members having an arcuate slot at the bottom thereof at the points of intersection with the primary members, the lower end of said arcuate slots fitting snugly over said bulbous portion, a beveled cut out portion in the top of said secondary members above the arcuate slots, the slots in the rib portion cooperating with the beveled out out portions in the secondary members to form a receptacle at each intersection of the primary and secondary members, and a weld at each of the intersections of said primary and secondary members substantially filling the beveled portions of the slots of the primary members and the cut out portions of the secondary members.

2. An open floor grating according to claim 1 in which the secondary members are provided with vertical slots between the primary members, the slots in each secondary member being aligned with the slots in the secondary members adjacent thereto, a plurality of substantially rectangular tertiary members in the aligned slots in the secondary members, and a weld connecting the tops of said secondary and tertiary members at each of the intersections therebetween.

3. An openfioor grating according to claim 1 in which the secondary members are provided with vertical slots between the primary members, the slots in each secondary member being aligned with the slots in the secondary members adjacent thereto, the top of each side of each of the last named slots being beveled, a plurality of substantially rectangular tertiary members in the aligned slots in the secondary members, a beveled cut out portion in the top of said tertiary members at the points of intersection with said secondary members, and a weld at each of the intersections of said secondary and tertiary members substantially filling the beveled portions of the slots of the secondary members and the cut out portions of the tertiary members.

4. An open floor grating comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending primary members, each of said primary members having a bulbous portion intermediate its height and a rectangular rib portion extending vertically upward from said bulbous portion, the rib portoin in each primary member having a plurality of spaced apart slots therein extending downwardly substantially to said bulbous portion, the top of each side of each slot being cut away, the slots in each of said primary members being aligned with the slots in the primary members adjacent thereto, a plurality of substantially rectangular transverse secondary members in the aligned slots in the primary members, each of said secondary members having a slot at the bottom thereof at the points of intersection with the primary members, the primary members fitting into said bottom slots, a cut out portion in the top of said secondary members at each intersection with the primary members, the cut away portions of the slots of said primary members cooperating with the out out portions in the top of the secondary members to form a receptacle at each intersection of the primary and secondary members, a weld at each of the intersections extending over the full area of the top of the secondary member in the intersection into said cut away portions, said secondary members being provided with vertical slots between the primary members, the slots in each secondary member being aligned with the slots in the secondary members adjacent thereto, the top of each side of each of the last named slots being cut away, a plurality of substantially rectangular tertiary members in the aligned slots in the secondary members, a cut out portion in the top of said tertiary members at the points of intersection with said secondary members, the cut out portions in the tertiary members cooperating with the corresponding slots in the secondary members to form a receptacle at each intersection of the secondary and tertiary members, and a weld at each of the intersections of said secondary and tertiary members substantially filling the cut out portions of the slots of the secondary members and the out out portions of the tertiary members.

5. An open floor grating comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending primary members, each of said primary members having a bulbous portion intermediate its height and a rectangular rib portion extending vertically up- Ward from said bulbous portion, the rib portion in each primary member having a plurality of spaced apart slots therein extending downwardly substantially to said bulbous portion, the slots in each of said primary members being aligned with the slots in the primary members adjacent thereto, a plurality of substantially rectangular transverse secondary members in the aligned slots in the primary members, each of said secondary members having an arcuate slot at the bottom thereof at the points of intersection with the primary members, the lower end of said arcuate slots fitting snugly over said bulbous portion, a cut out portion in the top of said secondary members above the arcuate slots, the top surfaces of the primary and secondary members being in substantially the same plane, the slots in the rib portion cooperating with the cut out portions in the secondary members to form a receptacle at each intersection of the primary and secondary members, and a weld at each of the intersections of said primary and secondary members substantially covering all four corners of said intersections.

6. An open floor grating comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending primary members, each of said primary members having a bulbous portion intermediate its height and a rectangular rib portion extending vertically upward from said bulbous portion, the rib portion in each primary member having a plurality of spaced apart slots therein extending downwardly substantially to said bulbous portion, the top of each side of each slot being beveled, the slots in each of said primary members being aligned with the slots in the primary members adjacent thereto, a plurality of substantially rectangular transverse secondary members in the aligned slots in the primary members, a beveled cut out portion in the top of said secondary members at each intersection with the primary members, the slots in the rib portion cooperating with the beveled cut out portions in the secondary members to form a receptacle at each intersection of the primary and secondary members, and a weld at each of the intersections of said primary and secondary members substantially filling the beveled portions of the slots of the primary members and the cut out portions of the secondary members.

'7. An open floor grating comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending primary members, each of said primary members having a bulbous portion intermediate its height and a rectangular rib portion extending vertically upward from said bulbous portion, the rib portion in each primary member having a plurality of spaced apart slots therein extending downwardly substantially to said bulbous portion, the slots in each of said primary members being aligned with the slots in the primary members adjacent thereto, a plurality of substantially rectangular transverse secondary members in the aligned slots in the primary members, each of said secondary members having an arcuate slot at the bottom thereof at the points of intersection with the primary members, the lower end of said arcuate slots fitting snugly over said bulbous portion, that part of the top surface of each of said secondary members which lies between the sides of each of said slots of the primary members being below the top of the primary members and forming the bottom of a receptacle at each intersection of the primary and secondary members, the sides of each of said slots forming the walls of said receptacles, and a weld filling each of said receptacles.

GERALD T. BEEBE. HENRY M. PRIEST.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,158,154 Albree Oct. 26, 1915 1,445,401 Lachman Feb. 13, 1923 1,799,658 Utzler Apr. 7, 1931 2,006,929 Nagin July 2, 1935 2,190,214 Nagin Feb. 13,1940 2,231,474 Lachman Feb. 11, 1941 2,437,186 Collins Mar. 2, 1948 

